


in this world or the next, we'll be together

by Gabethebabe



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: (no I'm not), (sorry about that), 4 Times + 1, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friends to Lovers, Lacrosse, Long-Distance Friendship, M/M, One Direction References, Post-Canon, also i feel like everyone is ooc so i'm sorry about that hgfhjdjls, i gently self projected my anxiety on kallias, semi-betaed, softcore editing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-07 22:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10371366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabethebabe/pseuds/Gabethebabe
Summary: Four times Erasmus and Kallias met for the first time + one time they were reunited.





	1. #42: Jawbreaker

**Author's Note:**

> hi my name is dylan and i'm here to rub my dirty modern au hands all over this fandom. 
> 
> p.s. please forgive my lack of understanding about lacrosse; i'm too gay to understand sports

Lacrosse was a Veretian sport with Vaskian origins. According to a quick wikipedia search it had originally been a religious ceremony amongst the Vaskian, and it had fascinated the Veretian soldiers to no end during their occupation of the area some hundreds of years ago. The soldiers then brought a bastardized version of the sport back to Vere with them when the occupation was over, and from there the sport spread down to the south of the Kingdom and then even further south into Akielos. 

Erasmus knew he didn’t need to read up on the history of the sport simply to attend a single game, especially when he wasn’t even going for himself, but his nerves were getting the better of him and there was nothing else he could do. He had hoped distracting himself would have calmed him down some, or at least made it look like he had calmed down some. He liked to think it did, anyway, as he sat next to Isander on the half frozen bleachers and mentally recounted the history of the very first Veretian and Akielon lacrosse game back in 1965. 

“Erasmus, would you please calm down? It’s going to be fine. This is a school sponsored sports game, not some house party.” Isander said, his eyes searching the place on the field where the players had huddled in some strange pregame ritual. 

Erasmus sighed. He thought that he and Isander agreed to never bring up the  _ House Party Incident _ ever again. After all he still hadn’t forgiven Isander for abandoning him like that  _ and not to mention _ \-- he sighed again. He was working himself up and it wasn’t fair to his friend. That had been almost a year ago. Any normal person would have probably long since let it go by now. 

“I’m fine, Issy.” He said. When he felt Isander’s gaze leave the players and settle heavily on the side of his head he added: “Really.” 

Isander made a noise that was halfway between disbelief and acceptance as they pulled out a pocket mirror. Erasmus watched as his friend primped in his own mix of disbelief and fondness. His nerves were buzzing and he told himself to ignore it. Instead he watched as his friend fixed his hair and smoothed out his over priced shirt. He knew it was over priced because Isander had dragged him to Urban Outfitters on payday after their shifts. 

“How do I look?”  

“Good.” 

“Good like you’re my best friend so you have to say I look good? Or good like if you were him you would date me good?” Isander asked. Doubt creeped across his face and Erasmus returned the look with brow knotted concern. 

“Good like if I were _ him _ \--” him being number 16 aka Isander’s crush of the week aka the reason Erasmus had been dragged to yet another sports event by his friend “--I’m sure I would date you.” 

“Okay,” Isander said with a slight nod. His eyes went back on the field where the game was starting and Erasmus followed his gaze. 

The game went by like a fairly stock standard game (or so Erasmus guessed from what little he knew from his research). His school was winning and Isander’s crush had apparently scored (gotten a goal? a touchdown? Erasmus didn’t know the proper term). Sometime after that a player, number 42 from his school, got a penalty and was sent to the penalty box. 

Erasmus frowned and watched the back of the player’s jersey as he stalked across the field. He’d zoned off and hadn’t been able to hear whatever his offense was, but judging by his posture he could tell that the player didn’t feel like it was deserved. 

“Did Kallias get penalized again?” Isander asked, an amused tone to his voice. “This is the third game in a row.” 

“He seems quite aggressive,” Erasmus said with a slight frown, his eyes still on the bright red lettering of Kallias’s jersey. 

Isander shrugged. He looked away from the field and back at Erasmus, his eyes stayed there as a slight smile spread across his face. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing. He knows what he wants and he’s willing to do anything to get it. That can be a very good trait in a partner and, you know, he happens to be friends with Aden.” 

“I really wish you would stop trying to set me up with your crushes’ friends.” Erasmus flushed. “Need I remind you of--” 

“-- _ the party incident _ , yes, Erasmus, I remember the party incident. But this is different.” 

“How is this different?” 

“Well for one Kallias is actually single, unlike that Veretian exchange student, and I happen to know that he thinks you’re cute.” 

Erasmus flushed again. Instead of responding he concentrated on staring straight ahead at the field. Players were running around with equipment in what looked more like organized chaos than any kind of national pastime. 

“Just give him a shot, okay?”  

Erasmus let a sharp breath out of his nose in lieu of a reply. He could never say no to his friend, no matter how much trouble he knew it would cause him. His brother had always said it was because he was too nice for his own good. 

“Looks like the game’s almost over.” Isander said after a few minutes. 

“Already?” Erasmus frowned. He had lost track of Kallias after he had been let out of the penalty box, but he could see that his school was still winning by two points. 

“Sporting events go very quickly when you spend most the first half of them glued to your phone.” Isander chided, and Erasmus breathed out through his nose again. That sarcastic tone didn’t suit his quiet but good natured friend at all. 

_ You’ve been spending too much time in scholar’s bowl with Mr. de Vere.  _ He thought but didn’t say. He felt he should have, though, because with each passing week Isander was turning himself more and more into a carbon copy of their AP Veretian History teacher. 

Erasmus crossed and uncrossed his legs. After another hour of gameplay Erasmus came under the assumption that Isander knew absolutely nothing about lacrosse. Either that or his understanding of time and the phrase “almost over” were very off. 

“Uh...maybe now?” Isander said, sounding even less certain than last time. 

Erasmus scrolled through his phone again, sparing a glance at the scoreboard. The wikipedia article said almost nothing about the length of the game or about whether it was done quarters or halves. He frowned to himself and put his phone away, purposefully ignoring the unread texts from his older sister. 

“What’s that face for?” Isander asked and Erasmus was almost impressed by the fact that his friend had managed to even notice that he was pulling a face with his eyes glued to the field like they were.

“It’s Desdemona again.” 

“Did you borrow another one of her shirts without asking her?” 

“I asked her,” Erasmus said defensively. Then quieter: “She just didn’t hear me.” 

Isander gave a soundless laugh. He had heard Erasmus and his sister argue about this countless times. “You would think she would be used to it by now.” 

“You’d think,” Erasmus said quietly. His fingers found the hem of the shirt in question. As he ran the silky fabric over his fingers he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. He had purposefully waited until she had her headphones in to ask if he could borrow the shirt-- he knew it was wrong but he still did it. He frowned a little, guilt weighing more on him. Maybe he wasn’t as nice as his younger brother seemed to think.

The game went on another half hour. During that time Isander had decidedly given up on trying to predict the nature of the sport’s time clock, and Erasmus sent his sister an essay of an apology. She didn’t respond but then again she never did. 

“She’ll be over it come morning” Isander offered. 

The game finally ended a few minutes after that. When it did the other students, and even some parents, proudly sang the school’s fighting song. Erasmus remembered most of the words from choir and Isander pretended to mouth along. Before the song had even finished Isander started to make his way out of the bleachers, dragging Erasmus along by his wrist. 

The guy Isander liked was standing in between Aden and Kallias, the latter of whom looked over Erasmus with an appreciative gaze and a small blush. He then whispered something harshly to Aden, who simply smiled at him knowingly. 

Isander dropped his wrist and leaned against the fencing that surrounded the field. Erasmus stood behind his friend and tried very hard to ignore the way Kallias kept glancing at him. 

“...yeah, I mean, I’ve always been super into lacrosse,” He heard Isander say. 

Number 16 replied with a half teasing “oh yeah?” 

Erasmus stepped forward and grabbed Isander’s arms. This was his chance to help his friend. 

“Hey, Issy, I actually had a question about lacrosse. Only the goalie can touch the ball right?” He asked and nodded his head encouragingly to tell Isander that  _ yes, that is the right answer.  _

“Uh, y-yeah. All other players have to use their, uh, sticks.” Isander answered. His brows unknit and his face transformed from a look of confusion to understanding. He got it. 

“Oooohhh,” Erasmus replied in a drawn out manner, as if to mimic himself processing this information. “And that like area around the goal, the crease is it?,--” another nod “--why were the players just putting their sticks in there instead of actually going in there? It was like  _ they’re not allowed to go in there _ or something.” He emphasised the words as best he could without making it obvious. Thankfully, his friend seemed to undetstand. 

“Yeah, well, funny you should say that, Massy. They’re actually not allowed to go into the crease, the area around the goal, but they get the ball with their sticks.” The last bit was said uncoached and so a little unasuradly. 

Erasmus nodded that he was right on that as well and the tension in Isander’s shoulders dropped. 

“Wow, Isander, that’s pretty impressive. I didn’t know you actually knew that much about lacrosse.” The guy said. 

“Well, I guess you just underestimated me.” Isander said with a wink, and Erasmus worried he was going to add Mr. de Vere’s signature  _ and you know what happens to men who underestimate me  _ line. Luckily he didn’t and instead opted to lean even further over the fence so that he and his crush were inches apart. 

Aden made a disgusted noise and excused himself, saying something about calling his mother. 

Erasmus watched him go. Just as Aden reached the halfway point across the field he risked a glance over at Kallias. He was watching Aden walk away too, which gave Erasmus a second to get a better look at him. 

A bruise, no doubt from the game, was splattered across his face from his lower right jawline up to where reddish brown tufts of sweat dampened hair peeked out from behind his ear. He had noticeable cheekbones and eyes that looked lit up with something he couldn’t read. Erasmus bit back a groan. 

Kallias was very attractive. In fact, he was exactly Erasmus’s type. 

He had to find an excuse to get Isander out of there and get them back home. Maybe he could say his sister replied to his text and said that if he didn’t return home with the shirt by 7 then she would shave his pet rabbit. She had done it before. 

Just as he opened his mouth to say something Isander turned to him and said, “I’m going to walk him to the locker room to get his bag and then to his car. Do you mind waiting here until I get back?” 

_ Do I mind waiting here on an almost dark, almost fully empty sports field for who knows how long?  _ Erasmus thought bitterly, then felt guilty for his anger. His friend really liked this guy, and all he was asking for was a few minutes alone. That wasn’t too much. 

“Er- yeah. Sure, Issy.”  _ Anything for you.  _

“I’ll wait here with you.” Kallias said, almost making eye contact with Erasmus. 

He wondered if his panic had shown in his eyes and that was what made Kallias offer, or if Kallias just wanted to be alone with him. Either way Erasmus’s face grew warm with embarrassment. 

He turned to say something to Isander but he had already walked away with his crush, the two hand in hand. Erasmus sighed and not so guiltily began to wonder if it wasn’t time he found a new (less boy crazed) best friend. 

Kallias opened his mouth and breathed in like he meant to say something, but then closed his mouth and looked away. 

Erasmus stepped a little closer to the fence, worried about seeming rude or standoffish, and smiled warmly at him. He felt he should at least be friendly with Kallias-- at least as friendly as he was with all others. 

The sun was setting and various shades of pinks and yellows danced across the sky. 

“Pink is my favorite color,” he said without thinking. 

“Yellow is mine.” 

“There’s a sunset between the two of us, then.” Erasmus said 

“Or a sunrise.” 

“Mhmmm,” Erasmus replied with a soft smile. 

He was unsure of what else to say or do, so he looked back at the sky. The shades of yellow had turned to orange and the pinks had turned to red. Around them various players and parents shuffled off of the field and out into the parking lot. He could already hear the car horns of impatient parents desperate to get out of the traffic that always came with school events. 

“It looks like we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other,” he heard Kallias say after a moment. “Since our friends are dating.” 

Erasmus nodded. He didn’t feel the need to bring up Isander’s track record with boys or how he was almost entirely certain that this would be the last game of lacrosse he ever went to. 

“Not that- not that I think that’s a bad thing or anything,” Kallias amended. Erasmus looked back over to him to see that his blush was back-- a bright pink against the black-purple of his bruise. “I- I actually wouldn’t mind seeing more of you. Not at all.” 

Erasmus felt his cheeks heat up again. “I don’t think I would mind seeing more of you either.” 

Kallias opened his mouth to say something, then closed it in a bright smile. There was something very endearing about the way he looked down at the ground then back up at Erasmus. 

A gust of wind came through the field, chilling Erasmus. He wrapped his arms around himself and felt even more regret about wearing his sister’s shirt. Silk didn’t make for the most warming garments. 

“Would you like my hoodie?” Kallias asked. 

Erasmus hesitated for a moment before tentatively nodding. He watched as Kallias unwrapped the sleeves of his hoodie from around his waist and passed it to him. 

He held out the hoodie, looking it over for mud or something else, before slipping it on. On the back he noticed the word  _ Jawbreaker  _ embellished across the back in bright patterned lettering. 

“Jawbreaker?” He asked. 

“All the guys on the team get nicknames,” Kallias explain, a small but triumphant smile on his face “I got mine from, well, breaking a guy’s jaw last year.” 

Erasmus’s eyebrows shot up in a surprised expression that he desperately tried to repress. Kallias’s smiled dropped a little at that, but even still Erasmus heard him give a soundless laugh through his nose. 

“He had it coming, I assure you.” He said “His dad was the referee and he kept penalizing our school’s team for the stupidest things, so I took one for the team and bodychecked him as hard as I could.” 

Erasmus got the distinct feeling that causing the kid any lasting damage was just a happy accident. He didn’t see any glory in the action himself, but clearly Kallias’s team members were thankful for it. 

“How noble of you,” he smiled and hoped that the sentiment didn’t come off as sarcastic. 

“Thank you,” Kallias replied. 

He looked like he wanted to say something else but he looked away again. Erasmus followed his gaze and saw Isander and the lacrosse player making their way back to them. He felt himself frown a little-- though they hadn’t said much he had been enjoying his time with Kallias. There was something interesting about him. Not an air of danger like he got from the Veretian exchange student last year, but rather something akin to mischief without malice. It intrigued him. It made him want to know everything about Kallias. 

“My name is Erasmus,” he said suddenly. “And you can get my number from Isander.” 

“My name is Kallias.” He smiled, the mischief that Erasmus was beginning to adore was alight in his eyes “and you can plan on getting a text from me before the end of the day.” 


	2. The Duality of Art and Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the college au that we can all certainly live without, but that i wrote anyway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i projected two of my major choice(s) onto Kallias in this chapter sorry ghsfhs i also added way too much OC interaction bc father son bonding is my weak spot. 
> 
> this chapter was barely beta read so i'm sorry if there's a million mistakes in it!

It was a blistering August day in 1967. Kallias arrived at his dorm with his dad in tow, two suitcases full of belongings, and his beloved copy of _In Cold Blood_ by Truman Capote tucked under his arm.

He was a history major, but he had heard his father joking with his aunt about how neither would be surprised if he announced any plans to change to an English focus before his first week was up. He figured the teasing was warranted, after all he was on his third major now. First it had been Jewish studies, then the summer of love came along and for a brief two-month period he had been inspired to take up political science. Be the change you want to see in the world and all that. He had been really inspired. He even got his haircut like one of the Kennedys.

His roommate was a music major. At least, that’s what he had been told. He hadn’t known much about the guy other than the “get to know me” sheet the college had made them fill out for “compatibility” last spring. He knew his name was Erasmus. He knew he liked music. He knew his favorite color was pink. And just the same Erasmus knew his name was Kallias, knew he liked to read, and knew his favorite color was purple. If Kallias was lucky, Erasmus would be nice enough and the two could spend the rest of the semester making awkward small talk about the book he was reading that day or a song Erasmus had heard on the radio

“Well,” His dad said as he sat one of the suitcases on the bed he claimed. “This is it.”

“This is it.” Kallias repeated. He attempted a small smile with his reply, but felt it falter. It had been him and his dad for so long, it was hard to imagine was life would be like away from home.

“Calico--” he started, but before he could say anything else Kallias had already stepped forward in a bone crushing hug. His father returned it, hands squeezing his shoulders as he pulled away.

“I know,” Kallias said and he was surprised at how even his voice sounded.

“I’m just a letter away, you know that, and there’s a telephone booth just down the street. You can call me at any time.”

“I know,” Kallias repeated.

“And--”

“I know, dad.” Kallias said, more firmly this time. He didn’t wish to sound rude, but he hated goodbyes. He hated them more than anything. That and he knew if his dad kept going one or both of them would end up crying, and that was the last thing he wanted for his roommate’s first impression of him.

His dad gave him a small smile and stepped back. He nodded his head towards the door and said: “I should- I should head on back if I want to make it back home before sundown.”

Kallias nodded, unable to make eye contact. He had been thinking about this moment nonstop for the past year-- the moment he would be alone in college and free to do whatever he pleased. The moment he would be on his own and able to make his own mistakes without his well-meaning but often times overprotective and overbearing father hanging over his shoulder. The moment he would be a real adult and be able to do things on his own! The only problem was, now that he was in the moment, he found his day dreams to be far different from reality. He didn’t feel free or grown at all. If anything, he felt like he had on the first day of kindergarten: small, overwhelmed, scared his wouldn’t make any friends, and on the verge of tears.

His dad stepped forward and gave him one last hug. “Be good.”

“I’ll try.”

He watched his dad leave the room, then made his way over the window to watch him cross the courtyard. The dorm he was staying in was the newest of the dorm buildings, apparently, his roommate’s mom had known someone or knew someone who knew someone.

Kallias stepped away from the window and sat next to his suitcases on his bare mattress. He took a moment to look around the room: grey walls and matching grey linoleum floor with two identical pseudo closets on either side of the room. He sighed and flopped back on the bed. He knew he needed to unpack his things-- that the sooner he started the sooner it would be over-- but he couldn’t make himself move. He had just started to wonder how much his roommate would judge him if he lived out of his suitcases for the rest of the semester when the door opened.

A rather severe looking woman in a bright yellow mini dress and matching kitten heels walked into the room, not seeming to notice Kallias. Behind her a young man about his own age with honey blonde hair and golden skin followed, his hands filled with a suitcase and a precariously balanced violin case. Kallias got up instantly, startling both the woman and the young man.

“Let me help you,” He offered and took the instrument case.

“Please and thank you,” the blonde returned, sounding more than just a little winded.

He watched Erasmus sit his suitcase on the unclaimed bed across from his. A guitar was hanging on Erasmus’s back. Its case was well worn and covered in a multitude of stickers, one of which said Be the change you want to see in the world in bright purple lettering. He momentarily forgot about the presence of the woman in the yellow dress and asked: “Erasmus, right?”

“Yes!” Erasmus said, a large smile on his face as he slid the case strap over his head and place the guitar case next to where Kallias had sat the violin case. “You’re Kallias?”

“Yeah.”

The smile stayed on his face and he sounded far too genuine when he said, “You sounded super interesting on your info card.”

“Oh, uh, thanks. You too.”

If Kallias were being honest he didn’t even remember filling out the thing, and he only looked at Erasmus’s to get his name. Before he could say anything else Erasmus started talking again.

“I just hate that they only let you pick one color, you know? I said pink was my favorite color, but that isn’t really true. I mean, sure, it’s _one of_ my favorite colors but it’s not my _favorite_. All of them are my favorite, really. Oh darn, I should have said my favorite color was rainbow. That would have been--”

“Erasmus, honey, you’re rambling again.” the woman said. Kallias startled at her voice.

Erasmus looked away from Kallias, embarrassment evident by the blush that ran across his face and down his neck. Erasmus had a pleasant voice, and he wasn’t bad to look at. The way his eyes light up with passion as he talked about something as simple as a favorite color had been incredibly endearing.

“Sorry, I do that sometimes when I get nervous.” Erasmus murmured. Kallias’s eyebrows knit. He was annoyed, but not at Erasmus.

“I agree-” He found himself saying “-it’s so hard to put yourself in a box like that. I mean, I said I liked to read because that was all I had space for, but there are tons of genres out there. Maybe I like to read really obscure Russian orthodox poetry about the hasidic way of life and the tiny space they gave us prevented me from finding the only other person out there interested in reading that too.”

Erasmus laughed softly, his smile back on his face. Kallias felt pride stir within him at that.

The woman cleared her throat again. Kallias watched out of the corner of his eye as she reached into her purse and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, took one out, and lit it. When she spoke again smoke came out of her nostrils. “Since you two are getting along so famously I think I’ll go on now.” There was nothing personable in the way she spoke, and Kallias found himself thinking that she was more like a living statue than a person.

Erasmus nodded. He stepped forward like he wanted to hug her, but stopped himself and instead crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes, mother. Thank you for the ride.”

“Of course,” she gave him a smile. She took a final draw from her cigarette and walked out.

Kallias was too thrown from her being old enough to be his mother to notice the way that neither gave much of a goodbye. A moment of silence passed over them, during which Erasmus turned to his bed and immediately started taking his clothes out of his suitcase and refolding them.

Kallias hated folding, so he made his way over to Erasmus’s side of the room and looked out the window once more. Erasmus’s mother had stopped to talk with some of the other parents, her cigarette steadily burning out in her hand.

“So,” he heard Erasmus say after a minute. His voice was soft and the flush had returned to his face. “What sort of stuff do you like reading?”

Kallias opened his mouth to answer, but stopped when he saw Erasmus pull a book out of his suitcase. It was a copy of _In Cold Blood_ of all things, and it was equally well worn as his own. He felt himself smile. The feeling of loneliness that had been steadily growing within him since the moment his dad had left him was gone then, and had been replaced by the same budding excitement he had when he first thought about college.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> abrupt chapter endings are now apart of my Brand
> 
> i hope you liked it! maybe feed my ego and tell me if you did???   
> thank you so much for reading!! i hope you have a wonderful day/week! <3


	3. shock me shock me shock me with that devious behavior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erasmus is an up and coming pop star, and Kallias is his number one fan.

They had hosted plenty of things like this at his dad’s record store over the years. It wasn’t like meeting someone famous was new to him. He had met plenty of musicians throughout his life, and a great deal of him he had been a fan of just like today’s guest. So, it didn’t make sense why he would be freaking out so much today.

He forced the thought from his mind and instead tried to concentrate on stacking the records, and as he did he tried to be logical about the situation.

Erasmus seemed like a sweet guy. He sang about love and flowers, and even he had a soft voice and cute laugh, but for all Kallias knew that could have just been a facade. Underneath all the pink button ups, pictures with his pet cat (named Duchess because Erasmus’s favorite movie was the _Aristocats_ , not that Kallias knew that right off the top of his head or anything) the guy could easily be a total brat. Kallias liked the idea of him; the version of him that the record company created to sell music and merch. Who knew if he real Erasmus would even measure up.

That thought was meet with even more depressing ones. What if Erasmus was a complete asshole and Kallias wouldn’t be able to so much as listen to his music after today? Or what if he said something stupid and made Erasmus hate him? Or what if Erasmus somehow found out what a super fan he was and got super creeped out? That last thought alone was enough to get Kallias’s hands shaking.

He sighed at his own stupidity. He really needed to stop thinking like that. Everything would be fine; all he had to do was stay as far away from Erasmus as possible and maybe ask his dad to get a signature from him. His dad could just say that it was for the store and not him. Erasmus didn’t have to know he was a fan-- hell, Erasmus didn’t even have to know he existed. He could hide behind the checkout counter for the rest of the day, and try to curb his jealousy as he checked out signed album after signed album. If he did that then everything would be just fine.

No interaction. No bad memories. No Anxiety attacks. Plain and simple. Kallias liked plain. Kallias liked simple.

“It is not that simple,” a heavily accented voice said behind him.

“Okay, okay,” Kallias heard his dad say. He turned his head slightly to see his dad talking to a pale blonde with a server look on his face. “I completely understand, Mr. de Vere, and I am more than willing to make sure Erasmus’s needs are all met.”

Mr. de Vere. Erasmus’s manager. Kallias blinked, his hand curled around one of Erasmus’s albums that he had tucked away. His dad turn towards him and motion him over.

“Calico, come over here please.”

Kallias nodded and got up to join his father. There was something static in the air around Mr. de Vere (or “Laurent” as Erasmus always called him in interviews. Again, not like Kallias knew that right off the top of his head).

Laurent de Vere was about a head taller than Kallias and his father. His golden hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail and black and gold sunglasses hid his eyes. The only way Kallias could have guessed that the manager was experiencing any emotion at all was the way the corners of his mouth had dropped down in the slightest.

“Erasmus and I thank you for your compliance,” Laurent said then looked down at his watched. “I apologize for this coming up so last minute, but I trust you understand how these things can be.”

“We certainly do,” his dad said and put his arm around Kallias. “My son here has anxiety too.”

“Calico is your son?” Laurent asked. Kallias thought he might have raised an eyebrow, but the movement was almost entirely hidden by his ridiculous sunglasses.

“Oh, that’s just a nickname,” his dad smiled and ruffled his hair affectionately. “His name is Kallias.”

“Ah,” Laurent pulled out his phone and typed something. Kallias got the distinct feeling he was taking notes and a slight chill went down his spine. Erasmus had called Laurent his “dear friend” and said he was “very kind” in an interview he’d had just a few weeks ago, but despite how genuine he had sounded at the time Kallias was finding that very hard to believe. With his rigid posture and oversized sunglasses Laurent de Vere was somehow the most intimidating and most ridiculous man Kallias had ever met. Laurent looked up at Kallias then, who fought the urge to look down at the ground instead of him, and said: “my husband is quite fond of pet names as well.”

Kallias wasn’t sure how to respond to that-- he wasn’t sure it he was even meant to. He looked to his dad in hopes that he would fill in the silence.

“So,” his father was quick to cut in, his eyes glued to the clock above the store’s front door. Kallias followed his gaze then looked down and out of the glass store front. At least a hundred-people had already lined up out the door, and they weren’t opening for another hour. Kallias repressed a groan as his father asked, “what is it that we need to do to make Erasmus more comfortable?”

“It would help if he could meet all the staff and talk to them for a bit. He has a bodyguard with him but it helps if he feels more familiar with his surroundings.” Laurent said

“Of course. The staff for today is just myself, my son, Aden, and another worker who won’t be coming in until a quarter past eleven.”

Laurent nodded and typed something else out on his phone. He looked back up and nodded his head towards the back of the store where the employee breakroom was located. “He is back in the back getting ready.”

With that the three made their way to the back of the store. Kallias fell in between Laurent and his father, and spent the entire time to the back of the store trying his best to ignore the way his stomach flipped at the thought of meeting Erasmus. He focused instead of the way Laurent’s ponytail stayed inhumanly still. He kept his eyes trained to the unmoving blonde hair even as they entered the break room and he heard someone, who he registered to be about three heads taller than himself and his father and a walking mountain of muscle, clear his throat.

Kallias also saw Aden come in just after them and press himself by Kallias’s side. Aden had been less thrilled about Erasmus’ visit-- like Kallias he had become used to working these sorts of events and unlike Kallias he wasn’t a big fan of Erasmus. Kallias was just glad one of them would be level headed.

Kallias finally tore his eyes away from Laurent’s hair to shoot his friend a panicked glance. Aden returned it a look of mild amusement. Kallias was about to mouth something at his friend when he saw movement from the center of the room. He looked and saw Erasmus-- _the_ Erasmus-- standing just a few feet away from him with a timid smile on his face. He was even more beautiful in person.

Kallias was doomed.

“H-Hi everyone,” Erasmus said. His voice was soft and melodic and Kallias was _actually_ hearing it in _person_. “I just wanted to thank you all for having me today. This is my first meet and greet so I’m a little nervous.” He laughed though it was more from exasperation than actual humor.

Kallias watched as Erasmus ran a hand through his hair-- naturally a honey blonde color but he had dyed it pink in honor of his second album, _To See the World_ \- and smile at the group without making eye contact with anyone. Erasmus looked to Laurent who had pushed the sunglasses back on his head and was now busy making eyes at the muscle-bound guy from earlier. “Damen” according to the ID he wore around his neck. Erasmus looked away from him, though a little deterred he didn’t seem to be annoyed. Kallias wondered if he was used to this. He also wondered if that was Laurent’s husband. He hoped so, anyway.

“Uh, well,” Erasmus said unevenly and looked between the three of them.

Kallias dad stepped forward, his hand extended. “Hello, Erasmus, I am Mordecai. I own Empire Records and, may I just say on behalf of my staff, we are so honored that you chose our store for your event today.”

It was a generic thing to say, and Kallias was sure he had heard it said to at least a dozen other artists by now, but the way his dad had said it made it sound genuine. His dad knew about him being a fan of Erasmus, after all he had been the one that paid for all the posters and t-shirts, so maybe he really had meant it. Erasmus seemed to think he had.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Mordecai. I’m-- oh.” Erasmus stopped himself and gave a nervous laugh. “You already know who I am.”

Kallias’s father gestured for him to step forward. He looked at Aden for support, but Aden only kept his eyes forward with a neutral expression on his face. He took in a sharp breath and moved to stand next to his father. Something about being closer to Erasmus made his face flush.

When he didn’t make to say anything, his father said “This is my son, Kallias. He’s got to be one of your biggest fans.”

Kallias’s eyes widened and his face grew even hotter. He kept his eyes down and stared at the floor, occasionally glimpsing up through his eyelashes.

He wanted to burrow in a hole and die from his embarrassment. He wanted to kill his dad. He wanted to ask Erasmus for his autograph. But instead of doing any of those things he just gave a shy smile and a halfhearted “y-yeah, I mean, yes. “

Erasmus smiled at him, a matching blush on his face. _Even more beautiful in person._ Kallias thought again and felt his heart explode with a combination of anxiety and fondness.

“Kallias,” he said. Kallias’s name sounded so lyrical in Erasmus’s mouth. He flushed again. “It’s so nice to meet you. Are you my person?”

“Your person?” He asked and looked up from the floor to his father. He would very much like to be Erasmus’s person.

“Yes! Ah, Kallias it seems I forgot to tell you,” his father said in a tone that told Kallias that he most certainly did not forget but instead purposefully didn’t tell his son “Erasmus has requested to have a worker stick by his side throughout the day. His manager and bodyguard will be there too, but uh…”

His father nodded over to the corner where Laurent and Damen were currently engaged in some sort of private conversation, their voices low. Laurent’s face was completely neutral, but the slightest hint of a blush had formed under Damen’s dark skin. Kallias felt the moment was too intimate for him to be staring at, and so he looked away the second he processed the sight.

“They’re newlyweds.” Erasmus explained with another smile. “When they’re together they tend to forget the world around them.”

Kallias wondered if he always smiled this much or if he was making a conscious effort for his image. He pushed the thought from his mind and nodded understandingly. “In that case, I would be more than happy to be your person, Erasmus.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful to hear, thank you very much.” He said and looked over to his still distracted manager. “They usually aren’t big on PDA, but if they start making out during breaks just ignore them. That’s what’s gotten me through the first leg of my tour at least.”

Kallias nodded again. “Okay. Is there anything else I need to know?”

“Not really, no,” Erasmus said softly, then cocked his head to the side as if he were thinking. After a moment, he said “Your dad said you were a... fan. Right?”

Kallias blushed again. Just as he had almost gotten somewhat used to talking to Erasmus, _the_ Erasmus, anxiety started to bubble through him again. “Y- yeah.”

“Do you want, like, a picture of something? Before the crowds get here and we don’t have any time, I mean. Or I could follow you on twitter or Instagram or something if you want.”

Kallias forced himself to breath. Before he could settle on an answer that didn’t make him sound like a complete idiot, or total creep, Aden stepped forward. He grabbed Kallias’s phone out of his jacket pocket and held it up.

“I’ll take the picture,” he offered.

Kallias managed to nod and step forward so he was next to Erasmus. He had to remember to find a way to make this up to Aden later, but for now he focused on not jumping when he felt Erasmus’s arm wrap around his back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it-- tell me if you did? <3 
> 
> Have a wonderful day/week! :)

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so so so much for reading! i hope you enjoyed it + i hope you have a lovely day :)
> 
> i wrote this instead of a research paper. 1 kudos = 1 prayer


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